MGLA - Voodoo Lounge, Dublin - 14th June 2019

[John Kimble]

Black metal can indeed be performed live, but in strictly limited contexts. Nihilistic anti human black metal played to a crowd of smiling party goers is ridiculous and does the music and message no favours, not to mention the tourists in the audience who clearly don't get it. They'd be better off eating popcorn enjoying a cinematic representation of the genre!!

Are humans who play anti-human black metal being hypocritical? What if their bandmates are also humans? Would they be better off training chimpanzees to accompany them?

[Eoin McLove]

The faceless nihilistic essence of this band which made such impeccable music has been shattered by too regular and numerous live appearances before whooping, jovial metal heads united in an orgy of humanitarian joy. It's just not very black metal anymore   

Completely agree. I was disgusted when they supported Primordial, it was obvious the crowd were getting way too much into it, and people were, for want of a better word, enjoying the gig. The final straw was their appearance on the Afternoon Show with Daithi and Maura the following day.

In fairness,  there is nothing that makes me feel more repugnant toward humanity than when I hear Daithi O'Shea talking about his mammy. Mgła's existential resignation pales by comparison.

[Scáthach]

Isn't it terrible when you find out that the other people that like the same music as you just aren't as cool as you

[Grim Reality]

I couldn't give a fuck about other people and while I'm being fairly tongue in cheek about this whole thing the initial point I made I would stand by ie Mgla were better before they became a crowd pleasing live band where their message/ideology is diluted.

That said I will be at the gig if family circumstances allow. Frowning down the back of course 😆

[No Remorse]

Can't wait to bring my glowsticks and feather boas to this gig! It's what Mgla are all about these days.

[Trev]

Can't wait to bring my glowsticks and feather boas to this gig! It's what Mgla are all about these days.

Cowboy hat or GTFO

[Ollkiller]

Black metal can indeed be performed live, but in strictly limited contexts. Nihilistic anti human black metal played to a crowd of smiling party goers is ridiculous and does the music and message no favours, not to mention the tourists in the audience who clearly don't get it. They'd be better off eating popcorn enjoying a cinematic representation of the genre!!

So unless black metal is performed according to your specific rules it's not black metal. Absolute horseshit. Nothing worse than telling people what rules they have to abide by. Next you'll be telling us what t shirts we are allowed wear.

[Eoin McLove]

Not sure that's what he is saying really, and I can understand his point of view.  I think with any band,  BM or not (but it's perhaps more pertinent to BM as a genre that likes to project a certain aloofness or sense of mysteriousness), once you see them live,  it humanises them and the distance between band and fan, and the magic created by that distance, is lost.  I think we have discussed the cognitive dissonance it sometimes takes to enjoy extreme themes in music that don't match up with your own world view, and this seems to be just an extension of that theme.

[Ollkiller]

Not sure that's what he is saying really, and I can understand his point of view.  I think with any band,  BM or not (but it's perhaps more pertinent to BM as a genre that likes to project a certain aloofness or sense of mysteriousness), once you see them live,  it humanises them and the distance between band and fan, and the magic created by that distance, is lost.  I think we have discussed the cognitive dissonance it sometimes takes to enjoy extreme themes in music that don't match up with your own world view, and this seems to be just an extension of that theme.

Ah I get it alright. I just don't see the sense in it. I also don't get that oh it's mysterious lark. I also dont get how seeing a band live takes the magic out of it as you say. If a band have a certain ethos would seeing them live not expand that ethos. Now this of course is how I see it and others will view it differently.

And btw am looking forward to seeing mgla. Anything I've seen online looks deadly.

[Eoin McLove]

Seeing a band live can give you a new appreciation of them so I'm not saying that it's necessarily a bad thing.  Maybe what I mean is more that it changes your relationship with the band.  And by mystery,  I don't necessarily mean that bands are all mysterious by their nature (although,  as I said, certain black metal bands play on that) but I mean that when all you have to go on is a CD with a band picture,  for example,  then you literally know very little about the personas behind the band.  Seeing them in the flesh closes that gap between fan and musician,  making them merely human.  In black metal,  being merely human is often something that bands want to hide from the listener.

And yeah,  Mgła are excellent live regardless of the matter.

[Ollkiller]

All fair points. Seeing them live would alter the relationship between listener and band. And I get certain bands want to have a different relationship to the listener.

[Necro Red]

Some valid points made above, but I mean, there's no metal rule book..........that's one of the reasons I like underground music. Bands can do what they want. It's essentially limitless. I don't see the big deal about them playing more frequently. Bands have to pay bills too.

[blessed1]

i remember buying my dying brides gods of the sun album when i was about 12 or 13. i didnt know a thing about them and it was a digipack that folded out but there was no lyrics or band members listed on the inside,it was just blank. i hated it at the time but looking back it was actually kind of cool.
those days are long gone unfortunately.

[Scáthach]

Does anyone have any idea about support for this? I heard it was gonna be Graveland, Absurd and a one off show from Burzum. Pick up your flags and jackboots at the door 

[Abandon All Hope]

Does anyone have any idea about support for this? I heard it was gonna be Graveland, Absurd and a one off show from Burzum. Pick up your flags and jackboots at the door 

That would be a great line up 

Looking forward to this one MGLA were absolutely savage when they played the Academy.